The correct option is (b).
Explanation
The ideological debate regarding the nature of education to be imparted in India during British rule. James Mill was a prominent Utilitarian thinker who strongly criticized the Orientalist approach and advocated for Western education based on practical utility.
- Statement 1 is Incorrect: James Mill attacked the Orientalist view that British efforts should focus on teaching what the natives wanted or respected in order to please them or "win a place in their hearts." He believed the aim of education should not be to please the natives but to be useful and practical.
- Statement 2 is Correct: Mill argued that Indians should be made familiar with the scientific and technical advances that the West had made, rather than with the poetry and sacred literature of the Orient. He viewed traditional Indian literature as unscientific and lacking in practical value.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect: James Mill was one of the harshest critics of the Orientalist vision of learning. He did not support the promotion of Sanskrit or Persian learning; instead, he advocated for Anglicist policies rooted in Utilitarianism.
Key Takeaway: James Mill, representing the Utilitarian school, opposed the Orientalist policy of appeasement and advocated for an education system focused on Western scientific knowledge and practical utility over traditional sacred literature.